What are the 1:48 kits you think everyone should tackle?

Coach B

Holy cow, that's a phenomenal result. Probably a little beyond my skill level currently, but definitely something to aspire for...wow. 

 

It really is actually very easy. Easier than getting a good looking bare metal finish with paints. Well, for me at any rate. Just measure each panel, cut the BMF to shape, peel off backing paper, stick down, trim if needed and burnish. It is time consuming since you are doing smaller sections at a time but almost impossible to screw up. The results are well worth the labour and something like a P-51 would be very quick. 

LOL in fact now I want to do a P-51 or P-47. My shopping list just keeps getting bigger from this thread. 

Lol yours does? Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree. I've got an armor kit I'm currently doing for the experience, followed by a Tamiya Corsair....then the next kit. That's the next spend and I'm fighting the urge to buy half a dozen kits all at once. Lol 

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Coach B

Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree.

That sort of goes along with returning to the hobby. (the shopping, not the behaving.....)

It's funny, I did this Revell B-25J as my second model getting back into the hobby and though I did an ok job on it. Now I just want to start from scratch and try again...

And someday I'll figure out how to insert a photo into my replies in this system...

Greg

Coach B

Now I'm trying to behave and not go on a shopping spree.

That sort of goes along with returning to the hobby. (the shopping, not the behaving.....)

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LOL that applies even if you never left the hobby. I have many kits in line and the order can get bumped on a whim when I decide to buy something new. Then it ends up on the shelf as something else catches my eye. At this rate I will need to live to 126 to actually do them all.

One thing I learned the hard way, and I'm sure I am not alone, is to not go crazy with the first several builds. Just get a kit and put it together right out of the box. Don't do any fancy aftermarket or try to do any kit corrections. Just build the kit, get a feel for what you're doing and enjoy the process. Don't get hung up on accuracy or color choices. Who makes the correct color, best brand and all that. Just build it and make it look OKay. Next one you will see your weaknesses and work on that. After awhile you can begin to do corrections or aftermarket, pick the "exact" correct colors with your choice of paint supplier etc etc.

Watch TONS of videos from other builders, those who have kits to show that actually look good and learn from them new ways to improve your builds. You won't keep all of it, but it will help you get better. There is only so far one can go on any forum. You're gonna have to watch good builders and learn from them.

Some suggestions regardless of kit types might be:

Barbatos Rex -- product reviews and tips, great channel for supplies and ideas

Flying S Models -- doesn't look like he's active anymore, but great builder

Laser Creaston-World -- this guy is really a good builder all around, cool ideas

Boylei Hoby Time -- Incredible scratch builder, lots of ideas and LED use

Model Car Muse -- Kinda laid back but very good builder with excellent advise

Night Shift -- one of my all time favorite builders, incredible skills and funny

Panzermeister36 -- younger builder with HUGE skills and tons of helpful tips

SpruesNBrews Scale Modeling -- great builder with lots of useful tips

This is just few. Some are cars, some armor, and some anything. The point is you can learn something about our craft from everyone. Learn from your mistakes and try new things that are out of your comfort zone, it will improve your work.

BK

Great advice and resources here, Brandon. 

My plan for my next couple builds is to begin learning to use wash for panel lines. And to start using some dry brushing technique- likely in cockpits. I'm totally intimidated by them both, but know I'll never get past it until I try....so they're the next learnings. 

BrandonK

One thing I learned the hard way, and I'm sure I am not alone, is to not go crazy with the first several builds. Just get a kit and put it together right out of the box. Don't do any fancy aftermarket or try to do any kit corrections. Just build the kit, get a feel for what you're doing and enjoy the process. Don't get hung up on accuracy or color choices. Who makes the correct color, best brand and all that. Just build it and make it look OKay. Next one you will see your weaknesses and work on that. After awhile you can begin to do corrections or aftermarket, pick the "exact" correct colors with your choice of paint supplier etc etc.

Excelelnt advice.

Also I might add, that if there is an IPMS chapter near you, go to a meeting or two and perhaps join up. I learned more from in person one to one picking the brains of guys at my old IPMS chapter than I ever could online.

Oh that'd be intriguing. Unfortunately I work a full time gig, have two kids, and coach lacrosse from January through July and high school football from June through November...so I probably need to catch a December meeting....LOL  My modeling time is usually strange hours when I'm trying to destress or just unwind.

Coach B

Oh that'd be intriguing. Unfortunately I work a full time gig, have two kids, and coach lacrosse from January through July and high school football from June through November...so I probably need to catch a December meeting....LOL  My modeling time is usually strange hours when I'm trying to destress or just unwind.

 

I hear ya about different available hours. I worked non bankers hours as cop (which usually meant that court and training classes were on your days off or when you would normally be sleeping), am married with four kids, etc. But many chapters meet on a weekday evening. I usually ended up missing half of any years meetings due to shift change or days off rotation.

Coach B

And someday I'll figure out how to insert a photo into my replies in this system... 

There are two methods.

One is to use a photo hosting site to store your photos, and you can get links to include in your posts. The forum software will follow the link, retrieve the image, and present it here.  This is what I do, and I use PostImage to host my photos.

The other method is to click the Insert dropdown in the menu bar of the post editor (the panel that opens when you click to reply, or to create a new thread). The Insert dropdown will show an option to insert an image.  If you click that, you get a little dialog window, with a field where you can enter the URL of your image file, wherever it lives in the web.  Save that, and it pulls the URL into your post.  Same principle as pasting a link into the body of your posts.

It's easy to say a Tamiya, Airfix (of recent vintage), or Hasegawa kit.  There are lots of those to go around, and many familiar airframes to model.

I'll echo the earlier suggestion of the old Monogram kits, but I'll go a step or two further.  Don't get one that has been reboxed 100,000 times and now appears to be a Revell kit - go to eBay and get an original-ish boxing of say, the Curtis P-40B Flying Tiger or the Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat.  You cut down the flash and degradation of the molds that occurs over time by doing this.  These kits date from the 60s, but the white box releases of the 70s are still going to be in good shape mold-wise.

And once you get it onto your workbench, get some sheet styrene and other scratch-building materials and add to them.  Of course, you'll need references to aid in exactly what to scratch-build.  The P-40 has a bunch of open space beneath the cockpit and wheel wells that, if filled in, can bring that kit up to almost modern standards (i.e., the new Airfix kit).  Plus it is satisfying to take an older kit and produce a model with more detail than included in the kit for a lot less $$$.

Here is a P-40 that I did several years ago:

Holy cow, I'm totally intimidated by that description. And yet once I'm feeling a little more comfortable with my skills, I really want to try it....